What is the reweigh weight tolerance?

Most carriers allow a variance of about 200 lbs or 5%, whichever is smaller. If your declared weight is within that window of the terminal scale's reading, there should be no reweigh charge. Beyond it, the carrier re-rates at the weight it measured.

How do I dispute a reweigh fee?

The burden of proof is on you, so file fast — disputes submitted within a few days of the invoice succeed far more often. Carriers typically require two official, non-handwritten documents, such as a certified (NTEP) scale ticket and a manufacturer spec sheet showing the product's weight. Submit them with your asserted weight to the carrier's claims or billing department. Resolution usually takes two weeks to two months.

How do I stop getting reweighed?

Weigh every shipment on a certified scale — not a forklift dial gauge, which isn't accurate enough for billing — and declare that exact weight on the BOL, including the pallet. When your declared weight matches the carrier's certified scale, there's nothing to reweigh.

How to Dispute an LTL Reweigh

Q: What is a freight reweigh?

A reweigh is when an LTL carrier puts your shipment on a calibrated terminal scale and finds the actual weight doesn't match the weight on your bill of lading. The driver isn't obligated to accept your declared weight. If the difference is beyond the carrier's tolerance, the carrier re-rates the shipment at the actual weight and adds a reweigh inspection fee, usually about $50 to $150.

A reweigh happens when a carrier’s calibrated terminal scale finds your actual weight doesn’t match the weight on your BOL. If it’s off by more than the tolerance — commonly 200 lbs or 5%, whichever is smaller — the carrier re-rates at the measured weight and adds a fee of about $50–$150. You can dispute it, but the burden of proof is on you: it comes down to a certified scale ticket, filed fast. Here’s how the process works — and how to stop reweighs from happening.

What a reweigh actually is

When a carrier picks up your freight, the driver isn’t obligated to accept your declared weight. At the terminal, the carrier can put the shipment on a calibrated scale. If the reading doesn’t match your bill of lading, it issues a weight-and-inspection (W&I) certificate that overrides the BOL, re-rates the shipment at the weight it measured, and back-bills the difference after delivery with an inspection fee attached. Like a reclass, you usually don’t find out until the invoice.

The tolerance: 200 lbs or 5%, whichever is smaller

Carriers allow a small variance before they charge. The common rule is 200 lbs or 5%, whichever is smaller. So on a 1,000-lb shipment, 5% is 50 lbs — the tighter number — and anything beyond 50 lbs off can trigger a reweigh. On a 6,000-lb shipment, 5% is 300 lbs, so the 200-lb cap becomes the limit instead. Inside that window, there should be no charge; outside it, the carrier rates what it weighed.

Why it keeps happening: the forklift-scale trap

Most reweighs trace back to estimated or forklift weights. A forklift dial gauge or hydraulic scale typically reads to about ±1–2% — and worse when the load is moving — which isn’t accurate enough for freight billing. The carrier’s terminal scale is certified; your forklift isn’t. The fix is a calibrated, NTEP-certified pallet-jack or floor scale at the dock, and declaring that exact number — pallet included.

A reweigh isn’t the carrier guessing high. It’s their certified scale disagreeing with your estimate — and only one of the two is certified.

What a reweigh really costs

The fee itself is roughly $50–$150. The bigger hit is the re-rate at the higher weight — and the knock-on effects. A heavier actual weight lowers your density, which can bump your freight class and trigger a reclass on the same shipment. And if you’re billed by hundredweight, more pounds means a higher CWT charge; the CWT calculator shows by how much.

How to dispute a reweigh

A reweigh is a claim you can win — but the burden of proof is on you. Two things decide most disputes:

File fast. Disputes submitted within a few days of the invoice succeed far more often; resolution then takes anywhere from two weeks to two months. Bring two official documents. Carriers require non-handwritten proof — a certified (NTEP) scale ticket for the shipment and a manufacturer spec sheet stating the product’s weight are the strongest pair. Submit them with your asserted weight to the carrier’s claims or billing department so there’s nothing left to assume. If your certified weight sits inside the tolerance, the fee comes off.

If your declared weight was an estimate, there’s nothing to dispute with — which is why prevention beats the claim every time.

How to stop getting reweighed

Weigh every outbound shipment on a certified scale, include the pallet, and declare that exact weight on the BOL. When your number matches the carrier’s certified scale, there’s nothing to correct. From there, make sure the weight you declared also produces the right density and NMFC class — because an accurate weight is what keeps both a reweigh and a reclass off your invoice.